Former telecom secretary, Shyamal Ghosh appeared before the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) in relation to the 2G spectrum issue. He informed the JPC that the first-come-first-serve policy was meant to be implemented for a limited period only.
Moreover, he told the panel that the policy was not intended for future spectrum sales, but was framed for allocation of WLL licences.
Ghosh had also told the panel that operators had violated WLL guidelines by introducing roaming facilities beyond the short distance charging areas. He, however, maintained that WLL was introduced to make mobile services affordable and had helped reduce mobile tariffs.
It is believed that the panel asked him for more information pertaining to the method of allotting additional spectrum in a single day to the licensees in 2002. Ghosh, however, said that the decision was not taken in a single day.
